President Marcos said on Friday raised concerns about long-term infiltration by foreign agents after it was discovered that some of the suspected Chinese spies arrested in Palawan had been living in the Philippines for years, even marrying Filipinas.
“Some have been here a long time and have married Filipinas. They are what we call “sleepers,” Mr. Marcos said, referring to operatives who remain inactive for years before engaging in covert activities.
He emphasized the importance of questioning the suspects to uncover potential broader networks.
“If we talk to them, they might reveal if there are others we need to investigate and have them explain their activities,” he said.
On Thursday, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Armed Forces of the Philippines presented five Chinese nationals who were nabbed for suspected intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations in the country.
Authorities seized from the suspects some military-grade and high-resolution video cameras disguised to look like civilian security closed-circuit television (CCTV).
While Mr. Marcos confirmed the arrests, he asserted that the Philippine government has no official contact with Beijing regarding the case.
“The investigative services are still developing more information to determine exactly what these five individuals have been doing while in the Philippines,” he said.
The arrest follows reports that the suspects were using spy cameras to target key military installations, including sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the Philippines and the United States.
“That’s why we arrested them, because of course, we are very disturbed by anyone conducting such espionage operations against our military and the services that we are trying to provide the people,” the President said.
Meanwhile, the quick response by intelligence services that resulted in the five alleged Chinese spies’ arrest highlighted the government’s commitment to protecting the country, the National Security Council (NSC) said on Friday.
In a statement, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said the successful operations underscore the need for continued vigilance and proactive counterintelligence measures to disrupt attempts at espionage.
“The government remains committed to enforcing the law and ensuring that those found engaging in espionage and intelligence operations are held accountable. We assure the public that our security and intelligence units will continue to strengthen counterintelligence and monitoring efforts to strengthen our national security,” Año said.
Similarly the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it is ready to support agencies investigating the Chinese nationals arrested for alleged espionage activities.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said his office is ready to help the Department of Justice and the Armed Forces of the Philippines “in whatever way we can”.
The Philippine government continues to investigate whether the operations were state-sponsored and if further security threats exist.
Authorities have not yet disclosed additional details pending the ongoing probe.
The arrests come amid escalating tensions between the Philippines and China, particularly over territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea.